This invention relates to a direct current motor of the type which includes a plurality of permanent magnets mounted upon a rotor and a plurality of electromagnets mounted upon a stator arranged so that rotation of the rotor causes the permanent magnets to pass into cooperation with each of the electromagnets in turn and including means for applying voltage pulses to the electromagnets in timed sequence so that the cooperation between the permanent magnets and the electromagnets results in a force tending to rotate the rotor.
Conventional direct current motors of this type have previously been proposed but have a disadvantage of not utilizing the back electromotive force during commutation generated by the collapsing magnetic field at each coil after the voltage pulse is removed. This results in a reduced efficiency in that the energy present in the back electromotive force is merely dissipated.